THE PREFACE. I N our Third Volume we left the this we have defcended with him, from his Zenith of Glory to his Difmiffion from Court, where we behold him as much neglected as he was before careffed, and as much vilified as before applauded: Though we have feen no Reason for that mighty Indignation, which caused this extream Change; but are fully convinced, that, when the Glory given to him was removed, his Integrity had not departed from him, and that he was in himself as meritorious as ever. The Obfervation in the following Line, Regis ad exemplum, totus componitur orbis, was too fatally verified in the undeserved Fall and Treatment this great Man met with: We learn, however, from hence two useful Leffons; the one, one, the Vanity of human Greatness; the other, the Variableness of human Judgments. As we have had Occafion, in feveral Places, to mention the Reasons that induced us to undertake the Compiling this Hiftory, we shall not here repeat them: But only obferve, that, notwithstanding fome Errors may have flipped us, we hope there will not appear any but fuch as are common; that, we are not confcious to ourselves of any partial Fondneffes for our principal Character, nor of any undue Severities towards his Enemies, either dead or living; that tho' we have taken more Freedom with Monfieur Rapin, than with any other Author, our Readers may fee we were not the first who did fo, if they will but attend the many Pieces that have been published to fet forth his Mistakes; and that we do not conceive even the most Cenforious can bring against us the Charge of undertaking this Publication with a mercenary View, especially as there could be no Hopes of Family Gratifications, in vindicating the Character of one who was the first and last Person in his, of any the leaft Confequence or Distinction. After having spoke of the many Circumstances relating to his Difgrace, and attended him both in his Retirement from the World, and his final Departure out of it, we were brought to the MEMOIRS with which this Volume and this Work is concluded, and dispatched them with as much Concisenéfs as poffible. And we cannot but here hint, that we have been at a much larger Expence about this Collection, than our Subfcriptions have hitherto answered; though we are not uneafy on that Account, because, because, in discharge of our Obligations to the Encouragers of it, we have afforded them more Matter and a greater Number of Embellishments than is ufually given, or might reasonably be expected. In this Volume will be further feen what Use has been made of ancient Records, and other valuable Letters and Papers, many of which are preserved in the Exchequer Record-office: And, as to our taking fo many large Quotations from the inimitable Shakespear, we fay, that, finding him fo full of fine Imagery, in Relation to our CARDINAL, &c. we thought fome of his Scenes would be no difagreeable Parts in our History. We must own too, that we are particularly obliged to feveral worthy Gentlemen, who furnished us with Original Letters, or other Matters, made ufe of in the Courfe thereof; which leads us here to acquaint our Readers, that the CARDINAL had another Dignity in the Church, which had escaped us, till communicated by a Gentleman (while the Index to this Volume was printing off) in these Words, SIR, To Mr. GROVE. AMong the many Preferments, which Cardinal Wolfey enjoyed, I do not find any of our Hiftorians mention that of the Deanry of Saint Stephens, Westminster. As you As you would probably take Occahon to mention this in your History, I give you the Trouble of this Letter. On the 3d of October, Anno 4to, Hen. 8. the King, by Letters Patents, granted the next Turn in the Deanry of St. Stephens to Richard Fox, Bishop of Winchester, and George, Earl of Shrewsbury, who, on the 18th of October, in the fame Year, prefented Thomas Wulcy, the King's Almoner, and he was admitted and inftituted into it by John, Abbot of Westminster. This appears by an Entry in the Register, or Leafe-books, of the Church of Westminster. In the fame Book is a long Particular of the Ceremony * obferved when Wolfey received his Cardinal's Cap, and is thus intitled, Forma Inftructionis jam a Lxxv Annis, obfervat fuper Tranfmiffione Capelli rubei & Annuli ad novem CARDINALEM. VOL. II. Page 1, Line 6, for about Eighteen, read not Seventeen; P. 17, l. 13, f. 3d of March, r. 3d of June, VOL. III. Page 361, in the Note, Col. 2, Line 19, f. one Barnes, r. one Harness. in VOL. IV. Page 6, in the Note, Col. 1, 1. 20, f. on his own Horfe r. to his own Houfe; p. 10, in the Note, Col. 1, 1. 8, for Who thought, 1. Who little thought; p. 15, 1. 2, f. Chency r. Cheney; p. 51, the Note, Col. 1, 1. 16, f. Friends, r. Enemies; p. 80, in the Note, Col. 2, 1. 16, f. 1537, r. 1534; p. 160, 1. 21, f. Princess, r. Princeffes; p. 180, 1. 2, f. Philip the VIIth, r. the Ild; p. 184, in the Note, Col. 2, 1. 7. f. repose, r. repair; p. 207, 1. 21, Mafters, r. Moot-mafers; p 288, in the Note, Col. 2, 1. 2, f. 1741, 7. 1714. MEMOIRS, p. 20, 1. 17, f. ever, r, even. f. mute |